The Conversation
by Naseka
Summary: Clarisse and Joseph discuss their relationship in the car on the way to Mia's wedding. OneShot.


Joseph always sat in the back seat with Clarisse if they were ever going somewhere, but today, much to her disappointment, he made plans to travel with Mia. He didn't expect those plans to change, but they did and he had no choice but to travel with the queen.

In the car on the way to the wedding…

Joseph had his head turned towards the window in order to avoid her gaze. She had been glancing at him wondering what to say. It was unlike them not to speak to one another on a journey, but they weren't exactly feeling like themselves. She finally spoke, "So…Joseph, how are you feeling today?"

He didn't look at her, "I've been better."

She turned away slightly, "It's lovely weather we're having…"

"Yes."

She raised an eyebrow at the lack of detail in his reply and tried to make more small talk, "I uh…have you…read any good books lately?"

He pressed the button for the privacy screen to go up and then turned to face her, "Your Majesty, if you want to say something, why don't you just come out and say it!"

"I want to apologize for turning you down like I did."

"Don't bother!"

"You see, I just don't think it's a good idea to get involved at the moment with you or anyone else for that matter. I've been under so much stress lately and you're not making things much better. Do you understand that if I did marry you, we wouldn't get to spend any more time with each other than we get to spend together now?"

"Do you honestly think that matters to me?"

"Of course I do. I've seen so many marriages fall apart from couples not spending enough time together and…"

"Any amount of time we spend together is fine by me. Even one second a day would be enough for me."

"Well I do have other reasons for not wanting to marry you."

"Like the fact that I'm a commoner and you're a queen?"

"Absolutely not!"

"Or because I'm bald and you have a full head of hair?"

"Absolutely not!"

"Or because you're afraid of marrying for love?"

"Absolutely...well, that's one of the reasons."

"What are you so afraid of? Being happy?"

"I don't know. It's just that my marriage to Rupert has sort of put me off marriage altogether."

"And you think if you married me it would be the same? I can assure you, it wouldn't."

"But…"

"When did you plan to tell me this? When I'm dead in my grave?"

"Don't be silly."

"I'm not being silly. When did you plan to tell me I was wasting my time chasing after you?"

"Joseph…"

"Well?"

She paused, "I didn't. I liked having you around so much that I wasn't sure it mattered."

"So if you never planned to marry me, then why did you string me along?"

"I didn't exactly string you along…"

"That's exactly what you did. And now with a flick of the wrist, it's over. All for nothing."

"I mean nothing to you?"

"Of course not. You are everything to me. Why do you think I spent half my life trying to win you over?"

"I am not a prize to be won. I'm a human being!"

"Well so am I and I expect you to treat me like one."

"I have always treated you like a human being! I treat you better than all of my employees put together."

They both looked away from each other. There was a long silence before she spoke again, "Anyway, it's not being happy that I'm afraid of."

He looked back at her.

"It's fear that you'll die before me, just like my husband, just like my son. I am so sick of having to wear black clothes and having to get over depression again and again and having to cry every time someone I love dies."

"I thought you said you didn't love Rupert…"

"I said I wasn't in love with Rupert."

"So you're just worried because you think I'm going to die first?"

"Yes!"

"Clarisse, that's a silly thing to think."

She started smiling.

"Is something funny?"

"No. You called me by my first name."

"Oh, terribly sorry Your Majesty, I was way out of line."

"No, I'd say you were spot on."

She leaned forward to kiss him, but he pulled away, "I'm sorry, I only kiss women I'm married to."

"You've only kissed five women? I find that hard to believe."

"Your Majesty, you know as well as I do that I've only been married twice."

"Only?"

"Don't start!"

Yet again, silence filled the car, but it was Joseph who spoke this time, "I saw you walking today."

"I know."

"You do?"

"Charlotte told me."

"Of course."

"She said you looked sad."

"I was."

"Because of me."

"No, my dog died this morning."

"Oh, I'm…sorry to hear that."

"I don't have a dog."

She lifted her head and nodded.

"I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry too."

Clarisse knew he meant that in a sense of being sorry he wasted his time, rather than sorry it didn't work out. The car suddenly stopped and Joseph got out to open her door in order to escort her into the church. He tried not to touch her as much as he usually would for fear that it would make them both feel uncomfortable. He then went outside to wait for the bride to arrive.

* * *

Preferably a one-shot. I've been starting FAR TOO MANY chaptered stories lately. I don't need another. R&R. 


End file.
